Belt buckle



Dec. 19, 1922. 1,439,528. s. M. BIKER. BELT BUCKLE. men FEB. 10. 1922;

INVENTOR.

,Jwwmelfif]? ea Patented Dec. ie, 1922.

SAMUEL M. RIKERQOF CHESTER, NEW JERSEY.

nnL'r BUCKLE.

Application filed February 10, 1922; Serial no. 535,432.

To all whom it concern: I

Be it known that I, SAMUEL M. B13311, a citizen of the United States, reslding at Chester, in the county of Morris and State the invention, such as will; enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being. had

to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speclficatlon.

This invention has reference, generally,

to improvements in belt buckles; and the invention relates, more particularly, to. tongueless buckles or buckles provided with clamping means actuated by a pivoted cam lever whereby a belt bodydisposed between the clamping means and the main body of the buckle is pinched or clampedso as to be held against longitudinal movement when said clamping means is operatlvely engaged therewith.

. biting edge toward the belt body, and'at the same time so that the clampingmeans will automatically adjust itself operatively with.

different thicknesses of belt bodies which r may be attached to and employed with the Another object of the invention is to provide in combinationwith the novel clampthis time more particularly enumerated,

:ing means and mounting therefor, cooperative means, in association therewith and with the cam lever device, adapted to interlock together when said cam lever is moved into operative actuating engagement with said clamping means.

Other objects .of this invention, not at will be clearly understood from the followin detailed descriptionof the same.

tion in view the same consists,'pri1narily, in the novel construction of belt buckle hereinafter set forth; and the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrange- I mentsand combinations of the several devices and parts, as well. as in the details of the construction of the same, all of which will be morefully described'in the followng speclfication, and then finally embodied in the claims appended thereto. The invention is clearly'illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front face view of the novel buckle with a belt body attached thereto,

and showing the free end of the belt body operatively engaged by the same; Figure 2 1S aside or edge view of the same, Figure 3 is a rear face new of the same; Fig

ure 4 is a longitudinal central section 1 through the same, taken on line 00a2 inv said Figure 1, said view being drawn on an enlarged scale, and the cam lever shown in ra sed or inoperative relation to the" clamping means; and Figure 5 i vaVi W similar to that shown in Figure .45, but illustrating the cam lever in actuating engage. ment with the clamping means.

Similar characters of reference are cmployed in all of the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring. now to said drawings, the novel construction of belt buckle comprises a: main body consisting of a faceior front plate 6 (curved longitudinally as shown if desired), side flanges 7 springing rearward ly from the longitudinal margins of said face or front plate, and inwardly bent keeperflanges 8 connected with the margins of said side flanges to lie in a plane substantially parallel to and spaced rearwardly from the plane of said face or front plate 6. Said side flanges 7 are provided at one of their ends with rearwardlyprojecting. perforate ears or extensions 9. Said keeper flangesS terminate short of said ears. or extensions 9, thereby providing laterally disposed shoulders 10 adjacent to said ears or extensions 9, j

Pivotally connected between said ears or extensions 9 is a cam lever device, the same comprising a transverse'bar 11 having journal portions 12 projecting from its respective ends, said transverse bar 11 is mounted to extend transversely between said earsor' extensions 9 with its journal portions 12 Vith the various objects of, this invenpivotedin the perforations or openings of saidears or extensions 9. Integrally connected with said transverse bar 11 is an out wardly extending lever arm 13, which is preferably of loop form to provide an opening 14% at its free end toreceive the loop 15 o f-the attached end 16 of the belt body.

integrally connected with said bar 11 is a cain member 17 which is preferably doubled beneath said bar to off-set the same with relation to the axis oi" said bar, and to provide surface area of sufiicient extent to permit the formation in its operative face of a grooved or channeled seat 18 extending across the same.

Pivotally connected upon each journal portion 12 so as to swing about the axis of said bar 11, the same being disposed inter mediate the ends of said'bar 11 andthe ears or extensionst, and so as to extend along the inner sides of said ears or extensions 9 and the side flanges 7, are supporting members or arms 19 having at their inner free ends stoplugs 20 which extend beneath said shoulders 10, so that the same lie between said face or front plate 6 and the inner ends of said keeper flanges 8, thus permitt'ng a swinging movement of said supporting members or arms 19, upward and away from said face or front plate 6, and which is limited'in one direction-by the engagement of said stoplugs 20 with the inner side of said face or front plate, and in the opposite direction by the engagement of said stop lugs 20 with the side flanges 7, as will be understood more particularly from an inspection of Figures d and 5 of the drawings. Supported upon a transverse rod 21 which is fixed to and which extends between the inner free ends of said supporting members or arms 19 is one end of a clamp plate 22 which extends outwardly beneath said bar 11 and its cam member 17 with its free endterminating ad;

'jacent tothe adjoining lateral freeedge of the face or front plate 6. The tree end of said clamp plate 22 terminates in an inwardly turned biting edge portion 28.

Forn'ied in the body ott'said clamp plate 22 is a laterally extending lock rib 2% with which the grooved or channeled seat 18 ot' the CllIl'llIiQHlbGi 1? is designed to cooperate, when the said cam uiemberis moved into actuating engagement with said clamp plate.

When the lever arm '13 is swung outwariflly or in a.rountercloclawiso direction, the cum member 17 is moved away from the clamp serted between the side langes 7 to pass for-' wai'c v tire n i a i r11 e 1e ll *1 ug the sp ce nte ied t tl face or front plate 6 and the keeper flanges 8, and thence beneath the clamp-plate 22,

the latter at the time being released from the operativeengagement ol' he cam member 17 therewith. it will be clear that, if the belt body is oi more than ordinary thickness, the pivoted supporting members or arms 19 will swing outwardly as the belt body end 25 passes beneath and presses outwardly against the cam plate, thus permitting the latter to yieldingly adjust itself to the thickness of the belt which is of advantage, since it is well known that belt bodies or straps frequently vary more or less in thickness. In the novel construction oi? buckle here involved it will be evident that, by reason or" the mounting of the clamp plate on the pivoted supporting members orarms 19, the clamping action or mechanism or" the buckle is rendered initially selii' adjustable to the particular beltbody employed therewith, which in itseli is a very desirable advantage.

sitter thebelt body end 25'lias been passed beneath the clainpplate, and the belt body drawn tightly into placefthe leve: arm 13 is swung in clockwise direction, thereby swinging the cam member 17 downwardly upon the clamp-plate 22, to force the "free end oi the latter into clamping engagement with the belt body. The pressure of the cam-member upon the -tree end portion of the clamp-plate tends to press downwardly said free end,and at the same time imparts a slight rearward movement to the clampplate which is fixed to the supporting members or arms 19, tending to thereby swing the latter on their pivotal connections until the stoplugs 20 engage the keeper flanges 8. This action results in tilting or tipping downwardly the free bitingedge portion 23' ot' the clamp plate, to force the same into iii-in pinching or bit-inn or" the belt body against the back of the Iront or face plate 6. shown more particularly in Figure 5, all of which makes for a firm gripping clutch of the beltend 25, A further advantage of the arrangement lies in the fact: that outward longitudinal withdrawing strains exerc sed on the belt end-25 will tend to press endwise upon the free end oi? the clamp-plate 22., which also tends to up-tilt the 't'reeend of the pivoted supporting members or arms 19, so tluztthe biting or 23 of the clanu') plate is tilted toward. the b body, so that the same tends to oflj'er increasing resistance to such withdrawing strains.

When the cam ineuiber'is swung into operative or actuating engagement with the clamp plate 22, the seat 18 of the former will spring or snap over the rib 24 of the latter, so that a mutual interlocking'of caiu member and clamp plate results, which tends to resist accidental releasing movement of the cam-member and its lever arm 13, all oi? which will be understood from an inspection, more particularly of Figure 5 of the drawings.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the various arrangements and coinbinations o'f'the devices and parts, as well as in the details ot the construction of the same, without departingfrom the scope of this in vention as set forth in the foregoing specification, and as defined in the appended of the various devices and parts as described in said specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

1 claim 1. A belt buckle comprising a face plate, a pivoted cam member having an actuating lever arm, pivoted supporting arms arranged to swing on the axis of said cam-member, means limiting the movement of said supporting arms toward and away from said face plate, and a clamp plate pivoted between the free ends of said supporting arms with its free end portion extending between. said cam member and said face plate, an operative movement of said cam member engaging said clamp plate to move its free end portion into gripping engagement with a belt interposed between said face-plate and said clamp plate. r

2. A belt buckle comprising a face plate, a pivoted canrmember-having an actuating lever arm, pivoted supporting arms arranged to swing on the axis of said cam member, a clamp-plate carried by said supporting arms having its free end extending intermediate said cam member and said'face plate, and means mutually associated with said clamp plate and said cam member to interlock the same in their operated relation one to the other.

3. A belt buckle comprising a pivoted cam member having an actuating iever arm, pivoted supporting arms, means limiting the movement of said supporting arms toward and away from said face piate, and a clamp plate carried by said supporting arms with its free end portion extending between said cam member and said face plate, an operative movement of said cam. member engaging said clamp plate to move its free end portion intogripping engagca face plate,

ment with a belt body interposed betweensaid face plate and said clamp plate, and means mutually associated with said clamp plate and said cam member to interlock the same in their operated relation one to the other.

4. A belt buckle comprising a face plate having side flanges and keeper flanges parallel to and rearwardly spaced from said face plate, a cam memberhaving an actuating lever arm pivotally mounted between said side flanges adjacent to one end of said face plate, pivoted supporting arms arranged to swing toward and away from said face plate, said supporting arms having stop-lugs at their free ends movable between said face plate and said keeper flanges to limit the swinging movement thereof, and a clampplate carried by said supporting arms having its free end extending intermediate sald cam member and said face-plate.

5, A belt buckle comprising a face plate having side flanges and keeper flanges p rallel to and rearwardly spaced from said face plate, a cam member having an actuating lever arm pivotally mounted between said side flanges acent to one end of said face plate, pivoted supporting arms arranged to swing toward and away from said face plate, said supporting arms having stop-lugs at their free ends movable between said face plate and said keeper flanges to limit the swinging movement thereof, a clamp-plate carried by said supporting arms having its free end extending intermediate said cam member and said face-plate, and means mutually associated with said clamp plate and said cam member to interlock the same in their operated relation one to the other.

6. A belt buckle comprising a face plate having side flanges and keeper flanges par allel to and rea-rwardly spaced from said face plate, a cam member having an actuating le ver arm pivotally mounted between said side flanges acent to one end of said face plate, pivoted supporting arms arranged to swing toward and away from said face plate, said supporting arms having stop-lugs at their free ends movable between said face plate and said keeper flanges to limit the swinging movement thereof, a clamp-plate carried by said supporting arms having its free end extending intermediate said cam member and said face-plate, and said clamp-plate having a gripping edge at its free vend directed toward said face plate.

7. A belt buckle'comprising a face plate having side flanges and keeper flanges parallel to and rearwardly spaced from said face plate, a cam member having an actuating lever arm pivotally mounted between said side flanges adjacent to one end of said face plate pivoted supporting arms arranged to swing toward and away from said face plate, said supporting arms having stopdngs free ends movable between said face plate and said keeper flanges to limit the swinging movement thereof, a clamp-plate carried by said supporting arms having its free end' extending intermediate said cam member and said face plate, said clamp-plate having a gripping edge at its free end directed toward said face plate, and means mutually associated with said clamp plate and said cam member to interlock the same in their operated relation one to the other.

in testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of February, 1922.

SAMUEL M. ninmn.

at their 

